The Dickinson press., 1887-08-27
THE LITTLE GAME.

Father Acaco paced the adobe closter of
Santa Cruz in much tribuiation of spirit
The place was Spanish mission in what we
are accustomed to call tho wild, new west,
forgetting that Franciscan friars converted
the Indians here before the pilgrims landed
on Plymouth Rock. The pueblo of Santa
Cruz was one of the towns of the building In.
dians, scattered up and down the yellow Rio
Grande, not far from the ancient city of
Santa Fe; and Father Acacio was ronlering,
as he walked, how best to teach his charge
the dogmas Of his holy religion, while in tho
east Miles Standish and the men Of his lk
were solving the Indian problem i'll the more
popular way-by "first falling Upon their own
knees, and then falling upon the abori1ncs.
One of our astute governors of New Mexico
sold as wrapping paper the old Spanish
archives, so that little remains but tradition
OF tho work OF these early missionaries be-
yond the history that certain "Fricrs of ST.
Francis moued with a zeale of charity and II
desire to saue soules, craued license of the
Vice Roy of Nueva Espanna to go to the
sayd townes and to endeavour to carne their
language to haptize them and to preach the
holy Gospel unto Them
Tradition alone tells how the devoted
ba,i'l who followed the first explorers accom-
plis':cl their mission, and we cannot vouch
for thu. truth Of this little story of Father
Acaco; certainly his system was never ap-
proved by his superior or his fellow laborers,
and need cast 10 reflections on them, though
a more honest man at heart. or one more
Jealous for his faith, never trod a mistaken
path
Father Acacio had been greatly aided in
this enterprise by his friend the Spanish gov
~ 4. .lx>
had his own reasons, based in worldly wis
dom, for the converting of the savngcs who
filled the rucblos around him. Don Juan had
assigned him large parish and small
chapel, and the good PADRES heart had
swellcd with joy us he saw the fields about
him white for the harvest. But now, after
laboring for three years, ho was obliged, with
chagrin, to count his converts OH the fingers
OF one hand; and of these only little Cande
laria, the chiefs daughter, could answer
question i'll the catechism. Now, to COM
plete bis modification, II runner had brought
him letter from the bishop of Santa Fe.
saying that he was about to start on n tourof
the churches, confirming postulants, catechis-
ing and baptizing converts. He trusted to
find at Santa Cruz a goodly number of cate
chumers US the fruit of Father Acacio's long
ministry. The bishop would begin in June
with the lower Rio Gra,lde pu. bios, and
would reach Santa Cruz nbnut harvest time
He would be accompanied in this tour by his
excellency the governor, who was eager to
see what progress had been made in the
Outstanding and civilizing of his Indian
subjects. With this letter came u brief, con-
fidcntial one from the governor.
He wrote that the good bishop, sainted be
his name, was growing old and feeble, and
was hardly sufficient for the place he occu-
pied. TIE governor had advised his choosing
Us colleague the most successful of the mis-
sionaries i'll the surrounding pucbos, and it
was the friendly intention of this letter to
advise Father Acacio OF the chances before
him. The governor hinted of the prob
able succession Of the colleague to the
bishopric, and recalled their old friendship
when students at Salamanca. ".ah. ms
Acacio," he wrote, "what rare games of cards
we used to have! There is 10 one in sian:a
Fe who has your skill. If l could but play
with you once OH evening. it would give new
zest to life. Display now the nstutencss for
which You were so remarkable rs IL youth,
and We shall enjoy many Il game together
when you occupy the highest clerical seat in
New Spain" sunny smile crcp; around
the corners of Padre Aracio's mouth at this
II was the brighter t.Ien.| .e sail to linn
self, triumphantly. ".ti,. how many times
have beaten him ut n;nG.c !,".i.u, ,ie Csspilla
San Bartolomc. Sacred ilna.s ,ll Pi!nr, bu,
tnose were blessed days. Ia Acario's
band sought the folds of his r.!,c n:l,i brought
from an inner pocket, not u bicviary, but II
well thumbed pack of cards. lie si!utIlcsl
them in silence; and seating himself in
q shady angle under l,ciotropc over
ten feet high, where the fliring ficxi-
can sage Of the cloistcr sa,tn would
not dazzle his eyes, then aud t!:e;c dealt
himself good hand! Tiien lie replaced
the pack, with Il sigh, and pa ed into TIE
church, remembering, rs The bel peii.ci Out,
that he had set aside this morning for ill.,
structing his people in the catechism, and
had made nn especially cioquent appeal TO all
present on Sunday, hal even sent tho altar
boys through the puf;.o Will! tie a:lacunc'-
nent that in'!ulg-iices would be granted 10
those who came. TIE vavcrnnus ntl.l ci.ur...p
was quite empty as he entered and bis heart
sank within him as lie thought that even
pretty Candelaria had deserted him. Ik,le
was nothing for him to do but to wait lie
sat down in the rude open confessional ;!u,i
to pass away the time took ont his cart,
again and began game OF solitaire.
Presently the bell ceased ringing, and h.
heard footsteps in the organ loft 10 called
though it boosted no orSan)-l:e!.t. lsip2;nf,
footsteps, not to be mistaken for "a i.ai:in:-
gai. Of old Isidor, the bell ring. Father
Acacio bad hardly time to ,st.. lis card,
into the sleeve Of his gown when Candclaria
was Mt his side.
"Why, child. is it you who have rung the
bell!' the priest asked. "Wherc is Isidors'
"Where everything else i'll the village is,"
replied tic girl; "at the ghost gamble"
"The ghost gamble! What. prar, is that?r
ut is O custom VIC have borrowed from the
northern Indians. When q man dies his
property is arranged in bundles; his nearest
relative takes tho part OF the ghost and all
others take their turn in p,a:i:::..;; with him
with marked plum seeds Tor the bundles"
as it good gane'" asked the padre alb
sent r,indedly. "How do you play it!"
sTherc are eight plum seeds; two are black
on one SIDE and white on the other, two are
marked with spots, two with the heads of buf-
faloes, two with half moons. You rattle
them in box and throw them. Each COM
bina,ion counts differently, but if you have
up the two moons and a buffalo's head, two
Il see," said Father Acacio, ''it is q GOOD
game; Out, santiago preserve us! this people
is entirely given to gambling; would stake
their souls with Satan, and win them from
him, too, for they are not stupid at play. If
they were only half as bright at learning the
catechism! Well. there is one comfort: all
the other missionaries have the same material
to deal with, and no one of them can have
such a promising neophyte as my Candida
ria. Come, my child, recite to me the seven
deadly sins"
Canlearia's fawn like eyes assumed a look
of mischievous pleading. If do not miss
any of my seven deadly sins" she said, 'nor
the six sins against the Holy Ghost, my five
sorrowful mysteries, my four sins crying for
vengeance, the three evangelical counsels, my
two prayers to the Virgin Mary, and the one
ORIGINAL ein"-